Happy Gotcha Day To You......

No words can describe my emotions as I listened to your classmates sing "Happy Gotcha Day To You!"  Your friends have embraced you and respect you.  Your friends have made comments such as "I am so happy for Bryson," and "we are all so lucky to have Bryson in our class."  The class clapped, sang, and danced in celebration of your adoption today.  They are excited in your smallest accomplishments and want to help you succeed daily.  I never imagined a year ago that this is where we would be sitting today.

As I read what I wrote to you last year I knew you were on the verge of breakthroughs. Your walls were starting to crumble and you were allowing yourself to trust.  I was still the only one you showed that trust to though and the world around you was still overwhelming.  Today, that is not the case.  This past year I have had to learn to let go and let you spread your wings because you are ready to fly.
You start each morning at school hugging different second grade teachers and greeting others with "hi's" and "see-ya's."  Other parents have approached me recently to comment on how far you have come, how relaxed you seem in the classroom, and how the relationships with your friends has grown.  Teachers will stop me in the halls when they see me to tell me they see the change in you and how confident you have become.  I used to tell you that school is not Cheers and that "everyone should not know your name" but now I am proud of you for making a name for yourself based on your hard work and determination.

Right now you not only have your personal army behind you but you have a community.  You have a community of peers, adults, professionals, and loved ones who have accepted you for exactly who you are.  Many parents can only hope and dream that one day the world will see their child just as they see them through their eyes.  This is now a reality for me and I could not be happier to take a side seat and watch others help shape you into the young man you will become.  Where you have grown is that you now accept this communities help and trust that you have hands to catch you when you fall.  You have let go of fears, faced demons, shown your true colors, and allowed others to see the child I saw four years ago today when you were placed in my arms.

I no longer have a concept of where you will be tomorrow, 5 years from now, or what adulthood might hold for you.  Honestly, four years has seemed like a lifetime but it is not all that long given the amount of progress you have made.  Your self-regulation, internal motivation, and desire to succeed far out weighs the obstacles you still have to overcome.  The world is no longer the battle but instead just part of the path you are paving for yourself.  You have set the bar high for what this year will bring and I cannot wait to celebrate in all the success and continue to watch you take flight.

Keep On Truckin Baby because this is your year and your time.  These are the moments you will remember, the memories that will last a lifetime, and the opportunities that only come once.  Let yourself be free for the first time in your life and feel all that world has to offer.  Just let yourself be you... I couldn't be prouder....

Love
Mom